Born	July 5, 1975 (1975-07-05) (age 34), Brantford, ON, CAN
Height Weight	6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) 230 lb (104 kg; 16 st 6 lb)
Position	Centre
Shoots	Left
NHL team F. teams	Columbus Blue Jackets Tampa Bay Lightning Philadelphia Flyers Buffalo Sabres Phoenix Coyotes Colorado Avalanche Florida Panthers
Ntl. team	Canada
NHL Draft	3rd overall, 1993 Tampa Bay Lightning
Pro career	1993 – present

Christopher Gratton (born July 5, 1975 in Brantford, Ontario) is a professional ice hockey player with the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. He the cousin of Atlanta Thrashers forward Josh Gratton.

[edit] Playing career

Gratton played his minor hockey in his hometown of Brantford, playing for such programs as the Brantford Nodrofsky Steelers (same program Wayne Gretzky played in many years earlier) and the Brantford CKPC Knights. As a 15-year-old, he played one season with the Jr B Brantford Classics.

In 1991, Gratton was selected third overall in the OHL Priority Selection by the Kingston Frontenacs. After his rookie year in the OHL, Gratton received the Emms Family Award as rookie of the year. In 1993, he was selected third overall in the NHL Draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning.

In 1997 Gratton signed with the Philadelphia Flyers as a free agent after four seasons with the Lightning, earning a $9 million signing bonus. In 1997–98, Gratton matched his career high of 62 points and recorded a career-best plus/minus rating of +11. Gratton was traded back to Tampa Bay the next season.

Gratton served as Tampa Bay's captain during the 1999–00 NHL season until his trade in March, 2000, when Tampa Bay traded Gratton to the Buffalo Sabres. In March, 2003, Buffalo traded Gratton to the Phoenix Coyotes. One year later, Phoenix traded Gratton to the Colorado Avalanche.

After the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Gratton signed a one-year contract with the Florida Panthers. Gratton signed a two-year contract extension with the Panthers in March, 2006.^[1] He was traded back to the Lightning again on June 13, 2007, in exchange for a second round draft pick (Florida selected Jacob Markström with the draft pick).^[2]

During the 2007–08 season, Gratton scored 21 points in 60 games before tearing the Acetabular labrum in his left hip which required season-ending surgery.^[3] Chris re-signed with the Lightning for the 2008–09 season but was waived in December and was assigned to Tampa's American Hockey League affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals.^[4]

Gratton was claimed off of waivers on February 21, 2009, by the Columbus Blue Jackets.^[5] He played in six games for Columbus, recording an assist. He has not played any games in the 2009-10 season which means that he may have retired.

[edit] Career statistics

[edit] See also

• Captain (ice hockey)
• List of NHL players with 1000 games played

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Chris Gratton's career stats at The Internet Hockey Database